Feb 17 The Build Season: Finishing Well

Can you believe it? I can. It happens every year. It leaves me sad and a little broken inside.

But hey, even though the build season is almost over, there is much to look forward too!

THE COMPETITION SEASON!

This part of FIRST robotics is one of my favorites. I love the genuine excitement and energy that is in the stadium.

But even though it is coming up, you and your team still need to remain focused on finishing out the build season — finishing it with enthusiasm and productivity. Let’s start.

ALL THE FEELS AT ONCE

Sure, you might be sleep deprived, nervous, hungry, awkward, excited, hopeful, and full of gas all at the same time, but that doesn’t mean you should sit on the couch and eat potato chips. The season is just coming to a peak and far from over!

Even though all these feelings and emotions are catching up to you and the team, push through it by remembering that if you keep working your butt off now, it will be rewarded in the future. It is true. If you and your team buckle down for this last week and get the important final touches finished, while doing them above and beyond everyone’s expectations, you will be rewarded during the competition season and later in life. Hard work = future rewards.

BUT I CAN’T STAND WORKING WITH SO-IN-SO

Yea, I know that one girl or that one guy can sometimes get on your last nerve. They always do that one thing that you can’t stand. Can’t they just stop? Heck, your whole team has been spending an upwards of 30+ hours a week together. That is pretty crazy.

Here’s what you can do though.

Even if that one person or group of people annoys you, look past it and be a mature human being who gets work done no matter what. How the heck do I do that you say? It is simple. Treat others like a human beings. Give them the utmost respect and kindness you can stir up from the bottom of your soul, because ultimately, you are all a team, and an effective team needs to work together despite small annoyances and differences.

LET’S TALK PARTY: CREATING A BETTER TEAM CULTURE

Since the build season can ruffle some feathers and just be all-out exhausting, plan a get together at the end of build season at someone’s house. Bring fun games, food, and talk about how awesome everyone did the past few weeks. You can also go through highlights of the build season and reward those who went above and beyond the call of duty for the success of the team. Over all, just have fun, relax, and get ready for the competition.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Ultimately FIRST Robotics should be an incredibly fun experience. Even though there is hard work, stress, and conflict involved, I look back on my experience and realize it was one of the best things that has ever happened in my life. It made me a better person and grew me to become the man I am today. So hang in there, work hard, and have fun, because this part of your life will be over soon!